The RiverConnect and Greater Shepparton City Council’s Bats in Our Neighbourhood event at Cussen Park, Tatura on Saturday April 13th was a great success.

Bat ecologist Rob Gration, Friends of Bats and Bushcare President Lawrence Pope and Shepparton Veterinary Clinic veterinarian Madeleine Rowe provided an informative night of bat facts.

This was family friendly event where children enjoyed bat related activities and the viewing of local microbats up close. The group shared a pizza dinner whilst watching the grey-headed flying foxes fly out at dusk.

Lawrence Pope provided information about the life cycle and behavioral patterns of the grey-headed flying fox and how to protect fruit trees from predation.

Rob’s talk was a 101 on microbat ecology and included facts such as; there is no such thing as a blind bat, why bats can hang upside down when they sleep and how bats use echolocation. This was followed by checking bat traps Rob had set up earlier in the night. Four bats were caught comprising of two species; the little forest bat and the lesser long-eared bat otherwise known as the gremlin bat.

All and all a great night was had by everyone who attended the event. here’s some feedback from one of the attendees.

“Just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed Bat Night. Your team did a brilliant job. All the people who attended the night with me said that they loved learning about Bats and seeing the micro bats. My friends from Melbourne thought the event was great and said something like this would never happen in Melbourne. I think we are really blessed to have a great council here in Greater Shepparton” Thanks again